A Cruel Welcome
by Meddwl
Summary: AU. Nominal sequel to FSR. Aragorn, Arwen, Gimli and the hobbits and well as some superstitious Gondorian nobles journey back to the Greenwood with Legolas. The expected welcome becomes a nightmare when every ill-tale about the wood elves comes to life, as Legolas is disgraced and thrown in the dungeons. Why do the elves seem to hate their prince and why does he not fight back?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I am not a professor or a philologist or a member of the Inklings. Alas, I have never been to England nor was I born in South Africa. So apart from a love of beauty and an admiration for Old English and medieval stories I have nothing in common with the writer of The Lord of the Rings. Ergo, any recognizable characters are his not mine. I but vainly hope to add a few threads in the great tapestry of Middle Earth.

Warnings: This story contains severe and not very subtle criticism of evil Thranduil and little-Legolas-is-tortured-by-friends-and/or-relations fics. It is does tie into with the rest of my fics so if the characters seem _very_ OOC be patient for "doubtless all will be revealed in time." Also AU in that Aragorn and the rest accompany Legolas back to Eryn Lasgalen.

* * *

Prologue

"Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires."  
― William Shakespeare, Macbeth

The royal party rode slowly through the outskirts of Eryn Lasgalen, the reclaimed forest. The remaining company of the Fellowship rode near the front as Legolas went before all. His bright eyes lighted happily on the once-dark trees and the swarms of woodland creatures now returned to their rightful homes.

The forest creatures seem nearly as joyful as their prince for he was surrounded by them. A nightingale upon one of his outstretched hands and while several sparrows chirped dizzyingly about his head.

On top of Arod, Gimli loudly proclaimed his hurt at having been abandoned for the mindless creatures until a sharp look from his friend and a peck from a sparrow caused him to fall silent.

The few lords and ladies of Gondor who had accompanied them for curiosities sake looked around bewilderedly, while the hobbits pranced beside the elf, nearly as at home with them as the elf.

Aragorn and Arwen watched the scene smiling, it was good to see their old friend so happily in his beloved forest. He had remained merry and hopeful even as the forest had fallen into darkness but both knew that it had weighed heavy upon his heart that his beautiful Greenwood had been polluted by the shadow.

Legolas stopped suddenly, signing the animals away. He held up a hand in warning, effectively halting the procession.

Lady Grethil gasped, they were surrounded by elves, archers clad in woodland green. The leader's arrow was trained on the king as he stepped forward.

"King Elessar" he said coldly "Where is the prince? The king very wroth on his behalf."

Aragorn looked startled and glanced towards his wife. She flashed a smile at the guard.

"Prince Legolas?" she inquired sweetly.

"Prince Legolas Thranduilion" said the elf shortly, untouched by the smile "Must answer charges before the king, it will do neither you nor he good to hid him." He glared threateningly over the assembly.

"There is no need for threats, Elgalen" came a clear voice "Your search is over."

The elves turned swiftly, their arrows trained on the prince. The Gondorian nobles gasped, if they had thought the elves were threatening the king they knew better now, the looks in their eyes spelled merciless death for the elf before them.

Legolas looked them in the eye "_Mellyn_" he said simply "It is good to be back beneath the boughs of the Greenwood."

"You should never have left" snarled Elgalen "We, fought and died for these woods while you fled. Craven I name you."

Legolas stared at him, his eyes wide with surprise. Aragorn's stomach was twisting within him at that look in his friend's eyes.

"How dare you" he cried "He fought at the very gates of Mordor for you, for your people, for the wood. How long do you think your dwindling numbers would have held out if the ring had not been destroyed? Legolas went to save you and you name him coward?"

"You miserable orc-spawn" cut in another voice, Gimli was practically exploding with rage over the callous treatment of his friend. He had actually lost the power to speak for several moments. Legolas had been so happy, excited to see his friends and family and after all he had done for them, this was the treatment he was given?

"Don't even think about saying that again, unless you wish for an axe in your neck!"

Legolas looked around alarmed at the outbursts on his behalf. _Ai, well I should have known that they would not keep silent._

"Please, stop." he called over he called over the din. "There is no need to fight on my behalf."

The noise ceased as suddenly as it had begun. Legolas glanced from Gimli to Aragorn.

"Gimli, please ride with Aragorn the rest of the way." Gimli glared at him, daring him to make him and promptly gave in. After all it was the least he could do for him.

The trip dragged on, now dull and wearisome. Legolas still rode in the front but he was surrounded by the elves, completely cut off from his friends. If the elves said anything at all they spoke too low for mortal ears to catch.

At long last they finally caught sight of the elvenking's underground palace.

The path was lined with guards.

It was no royal escort though, it felt more like an execution. The Gondorians, not excluding their king and queen shivered at the thought. What had happened here? Why did they suddenly hate Legolas so? Every time Aragorn had seen the prince along his elves they had loved him devotedly, what had wrought this horrible change?

They dismounted in the courtyard, their horses efficiently but kindly taken away. At the steps two of the guards seized the prince's arms. His hands were forced behind his back and bound securely. He did not struggle.

Thus they made their way to the king, the disgraced prince between his guards before all and the others following dejectedly behind.

They filed into the throne room.

Thranduil sat upon a great carved throne, a mithril helm upon his head. It shone with emeralds and gold and was very different than the usual simple wreathes of flowers or berries that he wore. His face was an impassive mask, his mouth set in a thin line, eyes hard and wrathful, glittering like the gems above them.

Legolas bowed his head respectfully as did the rest of the party. One of the elven guards snarled something in the prince's ear and kicked his legs from beneath him felling him to the ground. His shoulders were forced down until his forehead touched the cold stone and held immobile.

The king watched distantly his high throne.

"Bring him before me" he said at last, his tone cold and arrogant. The elves dragged the prince forward depositing him roughly at the foot of his father's throne.

"You forsook your duties, your honor and your kin in our greatest struggle with the darkness."

He said slowly and deliberately, looking down at his son's prone form

"For this there can be no forgiveness, why should you have a share in the light, who gave nothing to dispel the darkness? I have no son, my daughter Erynel will inherit Eryn Lasgalen. _Alernil Alaranion_ I name you."_ (Not-prince, son of no king)_

He turned to the guards "Remove him from my sight."

The friends watched horrified as their friend was dragged away still hanging unresisting in their arms.

They had nearly reached the door when a beautiful maiden appeared framed in the light. Her hair hung long and unbound about her waist in dark waves while her face was as Legolas' save in form of maid. Her beauty was lost by the expression on her pale features, cold she seemed and cruel. Legolas looked up suddenly on seeing his sister for so they saw that she was and whispered one word.

"Erynel" he breathed a smile on his lips.

The princess looked down coldly for moment and said nothing. She turned as though to go, while Legolas' friends watched the smile on his face die away. The maiden whirled as they reached the door and they saw her hand strike the prince's face with a sound that could be heard across the hall. Legolas fell forward limply, his head bowed and his shoulders shaking.

The guards dragged him away and out of sight.

* * *

_Saes_, I know what I am doing. Wait for the rest before deciding that I am out of my mind. For those who recognize Elgalen and Erynel- I promise that all shall become clear!

Shire Rose


	2. Chapter 1 - Rumors of the Greenwood

Chapter 1 – Rumors of the Greenwood

* * *

"a tale  
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,  
Signifying nothing."  
― William Shakespeare, _Macbeth_

_Several Weeks Earlier_

Legolas Thranduilion glanced back at the dusty shelves behind him. An eager student as well as an accomplished warrior, he had made his way down to the archives of Minas Tirith as soon as politely possible. The whirl and excitement of banquets and fetes after the coronation were wearying to him and even his long patience was wearing thin.

"_No, my Lady Helenell, I am from the Greenwood, Eryn Lasgalen as it has been renamed. Imladris is in the North near the land of the halflings."_

_A grey haired man, with flamboyant garments accosted him next._

"_Did I know Queen Undomiel, Lord Bellthas? Naturally, the Greenwood and Imladris have been on good terms for thousands of years. King Thranduil and Lord Elrond fought together in the Last Alliance."_

_Lord Bellthas snorted "Thranduil, the Terror of the Woods? The Shadow King?"_

"_King Thranduil, both wise and kindly, as his loyal subject I request that you to treat him with more respect. I know not where such unfounded legends come from."_

_Lady Helenell leant in closer "They say the King and the Prince are elves of darkness. They weave the mist through the woods luring unwary strangers to their dooms."_

_Legolas was torn between laughter and anger. Desperately he kept his mouth shut. What would they say if they knew the shadow-weaving prince was standing next to them?_

"…_king is the evil one, they say his son is kindly and aids strangers when his father is away. I even heard that he is cruel to the prince. Unnatural it is!"_

"_I read that after the queen mysteriously died the king began hating his son. They say the prince is kept locked away from the world when he isn't sent on suicidal missions for the king. They call him Cuthalion, the Shadowed Prince." Lady Grethil lowered her voice dramatically as she mistranslated the name. _

_Legolas turned away disgusted after trying fruitlessly to convince them of the falsity of the claims. Aragorn caught his eye as he slipped away._

"_I believe I should introduce Lady Grethil to the Shadowed Prince" he said lightly grinning at the expression on Legolas's face._

"_I am sure she would be greatly disappointed" muttered the elf _

"_Legolas, did you hear her?"_

"_She called you Cuthalion!" Merry and Pippin came bouncing in from nowhere in particular. _

"_She also said it meant shadowed prince and that I helped kill my own mother." retorted the elf dryly._

"_Ohhh"_

"_Let's tell her ourselves"_

"_What we think of such nonsense!"_

"_Silly women!"_

Legolas sighed as he turned from the shelf and down at the book in his hands. How could ignorant fools like Grethil _not_ believe the foolish rumors about his home when the archives themselves were contaminated with the lies. Clearly Faramir had relied solely on Gandalf for his information about elves or he would have fled the minute Legolas said he was from Mirkwood that day in Ithilian.

He flung the book down, uncharacteristically angry. It seemed that either, his father and himself were both evil demons of the wood or his father was the evil demon and he was a weak and spineless victim of whatever creative abuse the writers chose to imagine. And by the stars, were they imaginative!

_Tethered to a twisted and dead oak tree among spiders for years?_

Where did they come up with these ideas? Men are unnaturally morbid he decided smiling grimly, apparently the author had forgotten that the spiders _ate_ everything that came near them.

_The prince, a fragile elfling with blond hair and deep blue eyes is said to wear a spiked collar lest he forget to fear the Elvenking, his lord…_

Legolas slammed the book shut and resolved to toss it in the nearest fire. _Elfling! Blond! Blue-eyes! Spiked collar! _He had never understood the disdain some elves had for mortals, but if he read much more of this nonsense he would find himself joining them whole-heartedly.

He hadn't been so angry in years, actually since Erynel had gotten herself captured by spiders. Did these men really know so little of elves?

A sudden memory of teasing Sam and Frodo with the thought of his father throwing him into the "dungeons" rose before him. The Gondorians needed something to knock away their smug conceit about the wood elves. Perhaps, he could manage something of the sort while having a good laugh at their expense. It was pity that his friends would have to remain ignorant of the charade, but it could not be helped.

Quickly he gathered together the most graphic and cruel accounts of the horrors the wood elves committed and retired to his room. He had much planning to do.

He seized upon a clean piece of parchment and began to write rapidly.

_Ada,_

_As you no doubt will have heard from the folk of Gwaihir, I am well in both body and spirit, save for the great strain certain foolish mortal nobles put upon it. It would seem that the folk of Gondor have little good to tell of the wood elves and especially of their king and prince. I fear to even begin recounting some of the tales they tell of us, most especially of you. _

_Some agree that all wood elves are evil and dangerous while others content themselves with disparaging only our family, we are apparently the corrupted heart of the wood and have turned the others with our foul craft. Most, however, believe that you adar nin are cruel and tyrannical, to both kin and friends. _

_They even say that you turn your temper upon me (no not like that, I understand yelling for a bit and I would rather you spent your frustration on me then others for I understand that you do not mean it). They are really very creative and ill-informed about such things. One suggested that you once left me bound near a spider den (for years). _

_I thought perhaps to bring several of the most foolish with me when I rejoin you. Perhaps a small shock may stir them to reality of their foolishness. I am sure that you will make a very convincing evil ada, but I am inclosing some ideas that struck me. _

_Tell Erynel that I have every confidence in her skill at acting a cruel princess of the elves. And Elgalen could lead the contingent that "captures" me, he is skilled at not succumbing to laughter in the most ridiculous of circumstances._

_Your loving son,_

_Legolas_

The prince had an unusually crafty smile upon his fair face as he entrusted his missive to the raven that his father had sent to "ensure his well-being" as he had gracefully put it.

* * *

_Shortly Thereafter _

Legolas looked down with satisfaction at the short note in his hand.

_Legolas,_

_I must say that I was surprised that you felt such desperate measures are called for. However, upon reading some of the tales told of us I must say that I have come to agree with you (as happens far more often than I like, how is that I still obey your every whim? Maybe there is some truth to these stories about a wily and merciless prince.)_

_Erynel, Elgalen and I have read over your suggestions and I believe that they can be easily implemented once we convince the guards to even __**pretend **to __harm you. We may throw in a few twists of our own so be prepared to act your own part._

_Your loving ada,_

_Thranduil_

* * *

_Ai, _I am so weak. I was going to wait to post this chapter until I got at least ten reviews begging to know what had just happened. Alas, once written I cannot seem to wait to post the next chapter. Lucky you!

Shire Rose


	3. Chapter 2 - The Board is Set

Author's Prerogative (notes): To clear up some confusion

1) This story is completely tongue-in-cheek (if you read it otherwise you will be disappointed.)

2) Much as I have tried to work this story into a mostly normal Tolkien timeline it simply refuses to behave, ergo this follows the AU set up in _For the Sake of the Ringbearer_. You will not get many of the references if you have not read that first. I will finish the main plot line for this (there is one more chapter and an epilogue) before FSR but the epilogue will have to wait until the earlier story is finished. I wouldn't want to spoil any surprises/cliffhangers.

3) Believe me, everything about this story is deliberate down to the Macbeth quotations. Trust me.

* * *

Chapter 2- The Board is Set

"Confusion now hath made his masterpiece."  
― William Shakespeare, _Macbeth_

The four hobbits looked at each other horrified by the scene that they had just witnessed.

"How could they?" whispered Pippin angrily "How could anyone be so cruel, and to Legolas of all people?"

"I don't know Pip" said Sam "I thought he was joking about being thrown in the dungeons when he came back. He _said _he was teasing."

Frodo gave them a sad look "I think he _was_ teasing" he said slowly "He would not have brought us if he was expecting this. And remember how happy he was to be home?"

Merry's hands were balled into fists "He loves his father and sister, I saw his eyes when he was thinking about them. How could he love them when they are so horrid?"

Aragorn and Gimli had been struck dumb by the last exchange, Aragorn especially as he had seen Erynel and Legolas together before and he would have never imagined in his wildest dreams that she could be so heartless. Gimli was frankly horrified, he had never meet Legolas' family of course but Legolas had seemed so full of love and respect for them…

Arwen, unlike the rest did not lose her tongue, instead being the daughter of Elrond and granddaughter of Galadriel and Celeborn not to mention a descendent of Luthien herself had stepped forward with a face that would have sent Sauron running for protection to the nearest Vala.

"King Thranduil" she said spitting the words like a curse "I do not know what has changed you from the loving father that I thought Legolas had but you have become contemptible and cruel. Legolas should be honored for what he has done not threatened. I was once proud to call you king and your daughter _gwathel_ but no more. Your entire realm is a disgrace to Middle Earth!"

Aragorn watched fearfully, after all Thranduil was known to have a hasty temper on occasion and his wife had just insulted the hot-tempered king in every possible way. However, he (and Gimli and the hobbits) thoroughly enjoyed watching the king flinch under his Undomiel's outburst, so he did nothing to try and stop her, which even if he had wanted to would have proved resoundingly futile.

Legolas turned to Elgalen and his sister from the peek-hole in the wall from which he had been watching the scene unfold.

"Valar, save me" he whispered unhappily "Arwen is going to tear me to shreds when she discovers that we were play-acting."

Erynel smiled at him "Ada is going to have something to say to you as well, for leaving him at her mercy. I haven't heard her so angry since that day we were captured by orcs for a few hours."

Legolas glared back at her "I would not count yourself out dear sister. After all you chose to add a little embellishment by slapping me, extremely hard if I might add. I nearly gave it away trying not to laugh."

Erynel shrugged her pretty shoulders "Don't forget dear brother that this whole charade was _your _idea. I would never have dreamed of slapping my wonderful, loving brother until you asked me to act like a malicious evil princess."

Elgalen smirked at the pair of them earning himself glares from both siblings.

"I wouldn't be so smug, Elgalen" said Legolas softly "After all you decided to spice things up by calling me "craven" in front of everyone. If I were you I would stay as far away from Gimli and his axe as I could. He once nearly decapitated the future king of Rohan for calling Galadriel a witch."

Elgalen's smirk vanished with surprising speed.

"A dwarf" he growled "Of all things to befriend you had to pick a touchy dwarf with an itchy axe hand. The son of one of the dwarves that _I_ caught and imprisoned in fact!"

The trio looked out through the cleverly concealed crack again. The Gondorians for whom the charade was being played were huddled together in the furthest corner of the room, their faces blanched with fear. A fear that was by no means alleviated by Aragorn, Gimli and the hobbits joining the shouting match that Arwen was currently winning against King Thranduil.

"Naturally, if ada _wanted_ to win he would" said Erynel proudly "He wouldn't say anything at all, he would just send my dear _gwathel_ a cold glare and the fuss would be over."

"He is doing wonderfully at pretending to be very angry" pointed out Legolas "This is much more effective for those nobles, I am only sorry that all my friends are worried that I am languishing miserably in some fearsome dungeon."

Lady Grethil was, as she freely admitted absolutely terrified. It was one thing to tell amusing tales of the fearsome wood elves and their evil king and quite another to discover that the handsome elf that she had unsuccessful tried flirting with (she didn't even think that he had noticed that she _was_ flirting; elves were oddly naïve about such things) was actually the prince of the realm and in very real danger from his tyrannical father.

She risked a glance towards Helenell and Silmarian. They were if possible even whiter than she was, apparently they were also beginning to appreciate a healthy distance from mad legends. Lord Bellthas' face was a sickly grey, his habitually over-ornate robes askew and his long beard tangled and lank. King Elessar and his queen were still telling the Elvenking exactly what they thought of him, ably seconded by the dwarf and the hobbits who all added choice facts to an already hopeless situation. Grethil wondered what would happen to the prince?

Would the king exile him? Imprison him? _Execute _him? She shivered, surely the king would not do that to his son however much he hated him, or would he? All the old and cruel stories were flooding into her unwilling mind. How did wood elves execute someone? She was sure that it was something singularly barbaric based on their current treatment.

Thranduil looked around amused. Everything was falling into place for the last stages of his son's plan. Even listening to the extremely nasty things that Pippin was currently telling him he was, could not shake his composure at seeing the pale and guilty faces of the Gondorian nobles at had been pestering _his_ son. Legolas had been right, the nobles had apparently decided that it was one thing to tell old legends of the cruelty and evil magic of the wood elves and another to have been thrown into the middle of one of them.

He hurriedly suppressed the smile that wanted to spread over his face at the thought of what their face would look like in the morning and turned his attention back to the angered remnants of the Fellowship. Pippin had apparently run out of suitable metaphors for his depravity and cruelty and Sam and Merry had taken over.

If he really had been the evil monster that they were convinced he was he would hardly have let them say a tenth of what they had said about him, in fact if he was not aware that the charade he was playing made him look well-nigh as evil as they were calling him he would certainly have locked them up in some far corner of the palace and sent them out of the forest by morning light. Instead he simply listened patiently (inwardly) while (outwardly) presently the formidable face of a ferociously angered and insulted king.

Legolas watched as his father's patience seemingly gave out and he ordered the company removed and taken to their suite. As soon as the company had departed he slipped from concealment and stood before his father.

"Legolas" said Thranduil, for that was all that needed to be said.

His son wrapped him in a strong embrace and they stood happy to be properly reunited once again. Erynel slipped in after her brother and slipped her arms around them and the little family stood happily oblivious of all else.

Then Erynel began laughing and king and prince joined in.

"What till they awake in the morning" said Erynel "They will be properly confused. I cannot wait to see their faces when the evil princess becomes as kind as midsummer morn."

Her brother laughed, strong and clear and merry, "Is that how you think of yourself _muinthel nin_?"

Thranduil clasped them to himself "You are the spring, Legolas, strong and fresh, full of life and compassion and hope." His children laughed together. "And Erynel is the summer, sweet and kind as a blooming rose."

Alas, the tender moment was shattered as the hobbits made their appearance. Bilbo may have needed a magic ring to sneak about the palace but these four had no such need. The royal family turned as one, all three blushing guiltily at having been discovered.

Sam planted himself firmly before them, hands on hips, and a scowl on his kind face.

"What was the point in making us believe that you were in trouble?" he began unceremoniously turning on Legolas, "And why did you act so horrid?" he sent Thranduil and Erynel a scathing glare.

Legolas stepped away from his father and sister, "It was my idea" he said soothingly "My father and sister only went along with it because I asked them to…"

The hobbits, however, refused to be soothed and Merry interrupted him,

"What was the _point_?" he asked bluntly "Besides making us all worry over your safety and yell at your father?"

Legolas winced, this part had always been the weak point of the plan, and was turning out every bit as difficult as he had anticipated.

"I could not tell you" he said honestly enough "I truly wanted too; it pained me to give you needless worry on my behalf."

"It pained us too" Pippin mercilessly pointed out.

"The Gondorians tell foolish stories about the wood elves" said Erynel coming to her beleaguered brother's rescue, "We thought to give them a taste of their own tales and wake them to the folly of what they were heedlessly repeating."

"I was going to tell you tonight" finished Legolas "but they would never have swallowed the bait if you had not looked so distraught and angry."

"Please sit down" said Thranduil pleasantly "We might as well tell them the rest of the plan at once." He smiled at his son "And then you can break the news to Estel and Arwen as well as your forceful dwarf."

Legolas groaned and put his head in his hands "If it was this hard trying to make you understand" he said unhappily looking at the hobbits, "Imagine trying to explain to Estel, Arwen and _Gimli_."

* * *

To reviewers:

FandomFangirl100 and SapphireBelle98: I am delighted that you think this is exciting, and I am certainly endeavoring to make it continue on so.

Helen: I am sorry that you think it is silly, but it isn't really meant to be deadly serious.

Just A Reviewer: Thank you for the lovely reviews (on all my stories). Yes, I was afraid that this would shock you, but the prologue was necessary to setting the tone of the story. I am glad you didn't give up, the note about Erynel was definitely written with you in mind. :) I really had way to much fun laughing at evil Thranduil fics in this and making him _seem_ cold and cruel.

I'm begging: I must say your name is most original. But I have to admit that it works. I never could resist begging. :)

Shire Rose


	4. Chapter 3 - Checkmate

Chapter 3 – Checkmate

"Are you sure  
That we are awake?  
It seems to me  
That yet we sleep, we dream"  
― William Shakespeare, _A Midsummer Night's Dream_

Dawn was gilding the sky with golden light before Legolas escaped the clutches of three irate friends. Luckily (or unluckily) he had found them together planning a rescue attempt. His appearance, free and unharmed had been greeted with first joy, then confused silence and finally with a flood of speeches informing him of how heartless and altogether scheming, conniving and unworthy of the name of _mellon_ he was.

He listened in silence. As soon as Arwen finished ranting, Aragorn had picked where she left off and when Aragorn grew weary Gimli had finished, complaining that they had left nothing for him to say. He then disproved his own complaint by having quite a lot to say which he did with considerable vigor and zeal.

Legolas still said nothing, for what could he say? He had let his friends worry needlessly and possibly endanger themselves in a useless escape attempt. The last possibility especially made him feel guilty (even though it had not occurred to him, that they might attempt such a thing).

By the end of Gimli's speech he was feeling sick, horribly unhappy and sure that he deserved every bit of it.

The three looked uncomfortable as silence feel over the room. Legolas stared blankly at the wall above their heads.

"Please forgive me" he sadly "I am unmeasurably sorry, I did not account for how worried you would be or that you might try to rescue me at risk to yourselves. It was inexcusable and I am horrified at how selfish I was, thinking only of a pointless reputation that truly mattered not."

They stared at him in silence.

He had all but given up hope that he would have any mortal friends left (beyond the hobbits who had forgiven him quite readily in retrospect) when he was drawn into a triple embrace.

"Foolish elf" laughed Gimli "It would take more than a misunderstanding to destroy our friendship. After all I suppose you didn't _mean_ to worry us. But mind, _never_ do that again!"

Aragorn and Arwen smiled in agreement.

"Of course we forgive you" they said in one breath.

"After all you have forgiven me for worse things than a little pointless worry" added Aragorn.

"And now let us make this plan of yours worth it" said Arwen rubbing her hands together with a most unqueenly glee "They have been making life miserable, and not just in the matter of foolish stories."

* * *

The Gondorians slept late, only waking when the sun flooded their rooms in the late morning. They stumbled into suitable attire and crept fearfully down to breakfast.

The great hall was filled elves, singing merrily and smiling in the warm light, that mysteriously flooded the underground palace. The nobles looked at each other in unabashed astonishment. Had that whole miserable night been a dream?

No, surely not. They all a vivid recollection of the unhappy prince thrown before his merciless father. Perhaps the elves were celebrating the disgrace of their prince…

The confused group stopped frozen before the high table. King Thranduil sat in the center, clad in gorgeous robes of forest green and gold, but crowned only with spring flowers. To his left sat the princess a sweet smile on her beautiful face. She was laughing with the elf who sat upon the king's right. He was tall and golden-haired, fair of face with twinkling grey-green eyes.

It was the prince.

No, surely not. Perhaps the king had another son.

But though they racked their brains they could not remember ever hearing of another son. About the king and his daughter and son (possibly Legolas, most likely not) sat Elassar and his queen as well as the hobbits and the dwarf.

Confused quickly became too mild a word to describe their utter bafflement and confustication. They looked at each other hoping that they were not collectively going mad. Had they been poisoned and were hallucinating?

All seven friends, who had as far as they remembered been last seen telling the king that they thought that he and his miserable daughter were heartless and despicable spawn of Sauron (and much less flattering things not suitable to the breakfast table) were sitting contentedly, laughing and talking with the aforesaid spawn of Sauron and the object of all the contention.

And none of them seemed in the least bit fazed or even aware of their sudden change in character. The Gondorians were becoming desperately worried by the time they had finished eating. Either they were going insane themselves or the entire realm of Mirkwood and possibly the rest of Middle Earth was mad. And given the choices it seemed far more likely that a score should go mad rather an entire realm.

There was another feast that night, honoring the prince (who apparently _was_ Legolas) for his deeds in the quest. The elves sang and danced far into the night, wreathes of woodland flowers twined in their long hair. All about great fires had leapt up at the command of the royal family (the Gondorians jumped as far back as they could) and light sweet wines and other less easily described but quite as delightful fare lay in abundance about the clearing in the woods.

The stars shone with a fierce white fire as the dances grew quicker and wilder and the elves more fay but no less charming.

The golden-haired prince had the Evenstar in his arms as they spun around the ring of trees, their feet flashing too quickly for mortal eyes to follow while next to them Elassar danced with the midnight-haired princess. The two couples whirled into each other and spun out having switched partners. At last only the prince and his sister were still dancing as the fires leapt higher and the stars bathed the woods in silver splendor.

They danced into the dawn. Stopping side-by-side as they greeted the rising sun, the king between them, his arms about their shoulders. Three voices rose, breathtakingly beautiful in the dawn-light. The princess sang first, high and clear but warm as a summer's day, her voice twining with her brother's as he joined in, strong and vibrant as the first spring of Arda; lastly the king lifted up his voice wrapping his children's in its embrace, golden and mellow as the sun in autumn the notes rang out as the glade filled with pulsing sound, ebbing and flowing in the tide of immortal memories.

Joy and sorrow, grief and gladness, countless days of peace and unnumbered battles fought against hopeless odds, defeat in the twilight of the evening and victory triumphant in the morning light. They could doubt no longer, these woodelves were no barbarians or cruel tricksters. They were the firstborn, wise and radiant, shining with light and power and glory and gladness.

Eryn Lasgalen was not mad, but perhaps their mortal kingdom was.

The sun broke above the distant, unseen horizon and the melody ceased, the notes dying away slowly in the silence.

King, prince and princess turned and gazed upon the hapless nobles.

* * *

I am going to have to write another chapter after all. So one more and than the epilogue.

To Reviewers (everyone I haven't replied to in PMs):

bella13446: Oh, what a wonderful dilemma to have. Begging worked yet again. (Four stories updated in one day, that has to be some kind of record)

Just A Reviewer: Of course I wrote it with you in mind, after you are the one who fell in love with the character and would therefore suffer the most form her OOC behavior.

FandomFangirl100: I hope you think the same of this chapter (actually I think this is my personal favorite so far, except for the first one.)


	5. Chapter 4- All Shall be Revealed in Time

Chapter 4 – All Shall be Revealed in Time

"I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was."  
\- William Shakespeare, _A Midsummer Night's Dream_

Lord Bellthas was the first to recover from both the intoxication of the woodelves song and the weight of three royal glares. He flopped upon the ground groaning as he landed upon his weak knee. Seeing this as their surest placating gesture the rest of the lords and ladies followed suite, after all Lord Denethor had often been softened by displays of submission.

Unfortunately, King Thranduil and his children were nothing like Lord Denethor and stared down with unfeigned astonishment at the shivering nobles. After several awkward minutes Thranduil finally spoke.

"There is no need to remain upon your knees." he said with a hint of amusement in his voice. The Gondorians took this to mean that he thought them ridiculous.

"No, of course not your majesty, your highnesses all" muttered Bellthas, who found himself the unhappy spokesmen of the even more unhappy group, most of whom were wondering if these elves could read their minds, because if they could…

Legolas and Erynel looked at each other and laughed as they stepped forward taking pity on terrified Gondorians.

"I am still Legolas, as I was in Minas Tirith" said the prince pleasantly, "May I present my sister, Erynel."

There were several muttered affirmatives which died away as their owners realized that they had spoken aloud and subsided blushing.

"I don't understand" Grethil blurted out at last, her curiosity getting the better of her, "Did you not condemn the prince to some horrible dungeon the night we arrived?" she turned from Thranduil to Erynel, "And you, didn't you slap him and refuse to even welcome him? What has changed?"

Thranduil looked at her sternly, "Did Legolas seem unwelcome to you last night?"

"N…no" stuttered Silmarian, "I could swear that you love each other drearily, that the royal family is beloved of the entire realm, that you do not harm innocent wand…" she stopped, horrified at her audacity. The elves did not need to read her mind, she had just dumped her thoughts before them.

"We do not harm innocent…?" asked Erynel, her tone brooking no denial.

"Well…those who travel through the forest…"

"You found it easy to believe that Legolas and I were monsters who snared unwary travelers to their doom did you not?" asked the Elvenking, holding the entire group in his gaze.

"No, of course not your majesty!"

"Certainly not!"

"We would never dream of believing such tales!"

"Do not lie to me!" thundered Thranduil. The pleas and shocked assertions of innocence died away.

"Yes, your majesty we did believe such tales." came a faint reply at last, as its owner avoid the king's gaze.

"And thus you found it easy to believe that my father and sister were cruel and malicious, that our people would banish or execute me for a trumped up crime." finished the prince, "The night we arrived, those who knew my father and sister were angry because they were confused and disappointed with how I was apparently being treated while you who knew nothing of elves were frightened but unsurprised."

Thranduil glanced at his son, who was successfully concealing a grin and back at the nobles, "And yet you did believe us gracious and kindly when we put an end to our charade. Having seen us truly remember to be wary of tales that speak ill of those who cannot defend themselves. Those who seem foul may yet be fair, while those that appear fair are sometimes foul."

Thranduil turned away and the king and the prince strode out of the clearing, the other elves following until only the Gondorians and the princess remained.

She looked them over carefully, noting the pale frightened faces and grass-stained clothes.

"Follow me" she said at last. The nobles complied instantly as she led them back to the palace and into their rooms.

"You will find clean clothing within, please consider it a gift from the royal family and a pledge that we are truly less fearsome than some tales would have you believe."

* * *

The Gondorians gathered together in Lord Bellthas room, having washed and clothed themselves from the beautiful garments of the woodelves.

"They know what we thought of them and yet they offer us gifts?" said Grethil at last.

"The elves are more forgiving than mortals, if this is how they punish us for our audacity." pointed out Lord Thaldil, "I believe I have heard tales of the woodelves treating strangers well, provided that they did not attack or threaten them."

The others turned to him, "You heard tales that spoke well of the woodelves?"

Thaldil turned red, "One of my aunts was fond of such stories, I believe she sought out Mithrandir himself to hear them."

There were several snorts of laughter, for many had met the lady in question and those who did had no qualms about reciting tales of her oddities.

"Did not Lady Thalwen believe that goat's milk was a cure to any sickness?" asked Silmarian.

"I heard that she used to pick the roses of Imloth Melui at dawn, it is said that their dew can stop one's features from aging." added Helenell.

Lady Deromira snorted, "Apparently another false rumor, as anyone who ever looked at her face could testify!"

Suddenly Grethil felted ashamed, the woodelves had forgiven them for their ill-tales and yet here they were gossiping once more.

"Stop!" she called above the din, "Is this not what caused all the trouble to begin with? Why are once again telling stories of those who cannot defend themselves."

There was dead silence.

Shamefacedly and blushing the rest nodded in agreement, as merry laughter caused them to turn.

Legolas was standing in the doorway a bright smile upon his face.

"Well done" he said approvingly, "It seems that the tongue-lashing I got from my friends was worth it after all."

Deromira stared at him, "Tongue-lashing? For what?"

"Letting them believe that my people had suddenly gone mad and hated me." he said cheerfully, "Even elves are not perfect and we misjudge the consequences of deeds as all do, not as often as mortals but still far more than we would like."

He grinned suddenly like an elfling about to have his first taste of Dorwinion, "Of course it is worse with the Noldar, look at all the havoc Fëanor and his sons caused for the sake of an ill-made oath."

The Gondorians looked confused until Bellthas pointed out that they were not aware of any elf by that name.

The prince looked startled for a moment and then smiled broadly. "That we must remedy" he said merrily, "For my memory reaches back nigh unto the founding of Númenor and my father's to the Eldar days. Surely we cannot let our guests depart without regaling them with tales of old over seasoned wine."

Oddly enough, the nobles had no objections whatsoever as they followed him to the dining hall.

* * *

Yes...here it is at last, only the epilogue after this :( Real Life has been mean the last couple days so sorry...

Nota Bene: Remember these nobles are not exactly the cream of the crop of Gondorian nobility, they are not awful...just not amazing.

Also I like Denethor (sort of) in the book and I resent the movie version. Still he does seem the sort that humble submission would placate.

Shire Rose

For those of you who were reading For the Sake of the Ringbearer...the first chapter of the Faithful is now up as well...and yes it has Legolas in it!


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